News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-03-31

who should she meet face to face but
her former slighted schoolmate, Lizzie
Wood Fanny blushed with shame,
and tried to appear as though she did
not recognize her, but Lizzie reached
forth her warmly -gloved hand and kind
ly inquired into the state of her health,
never appearing to notice her scanty,
shabby attire.
Fanny regarded Lizzie's ne t, comfor-
table clothing, handsome hat, and warm,
new over shoes with envious feelings.
Her heart was filled with bitterness and
anguish as she contemplated her situa'
tion as compared with Lizzie's cOmfor-
table home and future prospects.
Fanny succeeded in obtaining some
bread and meat to take to her bare and
comfortless home.
A good gentleman had kindly given
her few coins with which she hoped
10 purchase food on the morrow. She
tried to conceal them, but in her anxiety
to do SO she awakened the suspicious OF
her mother, who was sober enough to
again be eager for a drink to deaden
her shame and sorrow. She sprang
upon Fanny with the purpose of wrench
ING from her grasp the coveted coins,
with which to purchase the deadly Ii
quid.
She lost her balance and fell heavily
with her full weight upon the arm of
her daughter.
A gentleman who was passing heard
the child scream with pain, and rushing
into the house, raised the fallen woman
and placed the suffering girl upon her
miserable bed. A physician was sum-
moned to adjust the broken bones, for
the arm had been fractured both above
and below the elbow. As soon as Lizzie
Wood heard of the painful accident she
went to see Fanny and carried with her
many comforts and dellcacies for the
suffering girl. She was truly sorry, and
expressed her sympathy for her in many
ways,
Fanny could in her distress fully ap-
preciate LizZie's kindness of heart, and
made many apologies for her former
cruel conduct toward her. Lizzie freely
forgave her, and told her to think no
more about it.
The supervisors were notified and they
a matron to attend the unfor
tunate child.
They also p divided for the little ones,
homes for them where they
would be we'll cared for.
As soon as Fanny sufficiently recover
ed from her injuries she was furnished
with good situation as help in pleas
ant, respected family, where she obtain
ed the means to clothe herself comforta-
bly,.
Her mother was much shocked by the
sad accident occasioned by her shameless
greed for the coins given to her daugh
ter.
She for short time nearly abstained
from the liquid poison, only to again
p rtake more freely, and imbibe more
deeply from the inebriatlng cup.
Her neighbors demonstrated, and beg
ged her to discontinue its use, or rather
its abuse, but she always told them that
she would quit the vile stuff as soon as
her husband would do so, but not before.
: hey then endeavOred to pursuade him
to hstaiu fCE his own sake as well as
Tor the reformation of his wife. He ap
,oareE tt' possess no d esire to reform 90,
he attempt was ut last reiinq uished,
nd he continued his perilous journey
Iown the awful road that leadeth to
At times Mr.. Brooks and wife would
mbibe so freely that their scanty supply
would become exhausted then he would
perform some little job of work for the
,ake of a few dimes with which to re
Dlenish the empty jug.
He was not as delicate as he formerly
had been about descending to the de-
graduation of manual labor but was glad
to perform the most menial services un
til he had obtained sufficient to satisfy
for short time their craving desires
for spurious liquors.
While he was at work his wife would
employ herself in cleansing their filthy
abode; for in her lucid intervals she was
not entirely dead to every sense of
decency. As soon, however,, as the
jug entered their dwelling,
they both gave themselves up and drank
to the forgetfulness of their misery and
One day after they had exhausted the
fiery contents of the little jug, and had
partially recovered from its effects, he
started out as usual to find small job
of work to do,
When night came ha did not appear,
nor for several days following.
At last he was found where he had
after partaking too freely from
the jug. He had fallen down steep
and received severe in
iuries. He was unconscious and nearly
dead from the fall and subsequent ex-
posure. After he was taken home to
his fond though dissipated ompanion he
revived and called her to his bedside.
He was sober and rational, and wished
ler to send for Mr. Wood, as he wanted
10 see him before his death, that he felt
was fast approaching.
Mr. Wood responded to the call from
he suffering man.
Mr. Brooks reached forth his hand
which Mr.. Wood received in his own
md held, while the dying man told him
Of the deep wrong he had done HIM,
and begged to be forgiven for the mis-
fortunes he had inflicted upon him.
Mr.. Wood freely forgave him, and
fought to make as comfortable as pos
'ible his last hours.
He went at the request of the injured
man to summon his children, for the
father wished to bid them farewell and
beg their forgiveness for the wrong he
lad done, and suffering he had caused
hem.
The little ones went weeping to be-
hold for the last time the animate feat
Tres of their father.
They remembered his kindness and
owe for them before the fire fiend swept
AWAY their splendid home. Their ten
Ter hearts were heavy with sorrow at the
thought OF parting from him, for thev
that if he could recover from
his injuries he would renounce the habit
Of tippling. They thought that after
such terrible experience he would
again become a temperate man and
make for them happy home.
Their mother had promised to reform
Is soon as their father would do so, and
hey knew she would keep her word.
But alas the golden bowl was broken,
md the few remaining precious mo-
nents OF the life of their father fast
speeding away never to return.
The poor man deeply repented of his
'ins, and warned his children from fol-
owing his examples of folly, and wick
,dness.
He. then called to his wife, who sor
'owfully approached her dying husband.
He clasped her hand with the icy grip
If death and said to her in q feeble,
husky voice-stop drinking nOw, Nancy,
or haze gut.
Those were his last words; but he
till held in the cold grasp of death, the
land of his fearful wife.
A few moments later she was weeping
IS a widow beside the pulseless, mani
e